Conductor/Engineer - Baton Rouge, LA

Start a Watco Career and Discover the Difference
Keep the world's supply chain moving. That’s what the Watco team does every day at our short line railroads, switching sites, terminals, ports, and logistics hubs. Whether you’re at one of these locations or in a support‑services role, there’s one thread that ties everyone together. We’re all one team, one Watco.

Here’s What You Can Expect From Watco

Outstanding culture recognized by Forbes and Newsweek

Competitive compensation and benefits

Paid on‑the‑job training with peer trainers

Training for conductors, engineers, mechanics, and MOW Team Members at Watco’s Safe Performance Center

Leadership and development programs offered through Watco University

Career advancement opportunities

Job Summary
The conductor/engineer position will control and coordinate train movements while switching railcars in yards, industrial plants, or similar locations to facilitate the unloading and loading of railcars in a safe and efficient manner to service our customers. This manual labor position requires proficiency in skills, duties, and requirements during a prescribed training period.

Shift: 3pm – 11pm or 11pm – 7am

Pay: $23 to $28

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Demonstrate predictable, reliable, and timely attendance.

Follow written and verbal directions to complete assigned tasks on schedule.

Read, write, and communicate in English & understand basic math.

Learn from directions, observations, and mistakes and apply procedures using good judgment.

Read switching orders from designated person.

Supervise and coordinate the activities of train crews.

Observe radio and hand signals in the yard or in the cab and operate locomotive in accordance with railroad rules and regulations.

Observe arm or lantern signal and move controls to move locomotive forwards or backwards to switch and couple cars; or receive starting signal and move controls such as throttle and air brakes to operate locomotive.

Read and interpret wayside signals, track warrants, bulletins, and railroad rules and regulations to operate locomotive, following safety rules and schedule.

Receive oral or written instructions from Manager or Customer indicating which cars are to be switched.

Notify engineer of switching orders and, thereby, which cars are to be moved to specified locations of yard, using radio, telephone, verbal or hand signals.

Talk to crew or other yard workers via radio to give or receive switching information.

Confere with train dispatcher via radio to issue or receive information or instructions concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains.

Give instructions to throw track switches and to couple and uncouple cars.

May assist workers to throw switches or perform other activities involved when performing switching operations.

Turn hand brake wheel or ratchet type brake as well as apply and release handbrakes.

Observe track to detect obstructions.

Inspect locomotive after run to detect damaged or defective equipment.

Maintain records, number, origin, destination, and cargo of cars switched.

May coordinate activities of switching crew from locomotive cab, caboose, or control tower.

Raise coupling lever to couple or uncouple cars.

Throw track switches to facilitate shunting of cars and signal engineer to move cars, using lantern, arm signals or radio.

Connect air hose to cars when making up trains by bending and applying force.

May set warning signals such as flares, flags, lanterns, or torpedoes at front and rear of train during emergency stops to warn oncoming trains.

Sit or ride in the cab of locomotive to observe signals from other crew members.

May make minor repairs to couplings and air hoses and report any equipment requiring major repairs.

May talk to engineer via radio to give or receive switching information.

Perform other duties as requested or required.

Qualifications
Ability to pass training and required testing.
Valid drivers liscense.

Education
High School or GED equivalent

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